


Midday Den

by JamesJenkins9



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Boys' Love, Closeted Character, Coming of Age, Eye Sex, Friendship/Love, Gay, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Homoeroticism, Insecurity, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Male Objectification, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Queer Youth, Secret Crush, Short, Silence, Social Media, Teenagers, Texting, Zukaang - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24120832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamesJenkins9/pseuds/JamesJenkins9
Summary: Aang is in love with Zuko, but is he ready to make his move?
Relationships: Aang/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 135





	Midday Den

**Author's Note:**

> Have had the idea for this story in my mind for quite sometime and finally thrilled to write it. Hope my fellow Zukaang lovers out there enjoy it. Aang is 16 and Zuko is 17. Leave reviews, I might just write a sequel. I do not own the Nickelodeon series or its characters.

It was a moderately comfortable autumn day in Tokyo as Aang and his best friend Zuko walked seemingly aimlessly after finishing their martial arts training at Four Nations Academy. The long-sleeved Letterman jackets they wore perfect for the cool October afternoon. Aang was always a lively fun-seeking kid, so much so he'd often found himself bored after his neighbor/friend Sokka, who after his kendo training, would make time for his girlfriend Suki. Behind his cheery gray eyes though, the usually outspoken of the two kept stoic but he didn't want Zuko to know why.

"Should we go to your house?" Aang asked eager to not have the air so sterile between them. The question caused Zuko to tense and his mouth twitched in consternation. "I'm home alone. Uncle is away giving a lecture in Osaka and Azula's still at university in Kyoto, thank Agni." The last part of his sentence tinged with a slightly vehement aftertaste. 

"Come over then," Aang pressed.

"Sure." Zuko replied albeit not expecting anything out of the usual other than studying, playing XBOX and ordering takeout.

"Cool." Aang replied, his actual thoughts still kept under lock and key as they continued on to Zuko's house.

The boys hung their jackets in the closet facing the Living Room. Aang refusing to take off his white cap with a blue arrow running down it. Zuko sometimes got a kick out of giving him a noogie even though Aang, raised in Buddhism, shaved his head. Still, the free-spirited teen appreciated the _loving_ attention Zuko sometimes showed- much more than the raven-haired boy suspected. 

Relaxing in Zuko's room, the boys sat in front of his red _Dell_ XPS 13 laptop, their attention hooked on a game play of _Sekiro_ someone posted on _Youtube_. The player's quick reaction and choice of moves stunned them.

"That's amazing!" Aang exclaimed.

Zuko slightly smirked as Aang leaned in from the left to show him something insane he found online last week. 

"Check this out." Aang typed away faster than Zuko could blink. 

The link Aang clicked on had Zuko intrigued if only for three seconds until he received a test message which he more than immediately replied to. Zuko's own _disturbed_ muteness now had Aang perturbed. What confounded Aang even more was how _splendid_ Zuko appeared right now, wearing a crimson red t-shirt, short bangs partly covering his golden eyes with a precise look on his strong attention-gripping face. 

"Who is it?" he asked wondering if it was an emergency or something Zuko had forgotten to do.

"It's just Ty Lee." Zuko said though his demeanor didn't so much as brighten, not even a chuckle. 

"From school?" Aang asked. He and Zuko were both close friends of hers yet Aang couldn't imagine what Ty Lee could've said to make Zuko lower his gaze.

Aang watched as Zuko typed away, the audio from the video now dead to him as his eyes caught sight of the exposed clear skin of the back of Zuko's neck, how it _glistened_ in the warm lamp light.

Turning his face back to the computer screen, Aang smiled. "It's awesome how they take down Bosses without breaking a sweat." His attempt at rekindling the jovial flame between them still didn't disperse the shadows Zuko was in as he didn't lift an eye st him until Zuko's haze broke. 

"Wh-oh yeah, totally." Aang's smile fell just as suddenly.

"Hey, let's watch something else." The odd vibe in the room making Zuko more on edge than he needed to be. "Have you seen this one?" He typed the name of the video in and clicked on the link: **Masaki Aki Fire & Fury by Dragon's Tail**.

The video played as a lithe, long-haired, brown-eyes young woman who looked 18-years-old appeared wearing a red bikini emblazoned with flame designs, putting on a mesmerizing fluid dance while offering a charming smile that just beckoned the viewer to drool.

"Shit, she's sexy, you agree?" Zuko asked enticed only to see Aang's eyes downcast in an almost _ignominious_ mien. 

"She's cute, I guess." Aang's response as equally flat and non-aroused as his face. "The video bites though!"

Zuko's curious side piqued at Aang's reaction. "You think so?" he asked just to be sure Aang was not playing a mind game with him.

"Yeah. Are you into it?" Aang asked.

A beat passed. Zuko turned away, unaware of Aang's eyes _examining_ his profile but now ogling the taller boy's strong arms. The clicking sound of Zuko's mobile the only one to lift the room out of its _deathly_ silence. Aang's attention returning to the back of Zuko's neck. His mind swirling with questions over how soft is Zuko's skin? Does his hair smell sweet? The gray eyes gaze gliding down Zuko's back, Aang licking his lips at the thought how much he wanted his fingers to-

"Want some more green tea?" Zuko asked as he finished texting Ty Lee.

"No." Aang said point blank as if a teacher caught him napping during class.

One could cut the air with a knife as the continual silence surrounded the boys again. Only now Zuko's fingers hovered over his cell phone, yet he didn't hit one button. 

"You going to text her back?" Aang asked more baffled over Zuko's weird behavior when they'd watched the first video.

"I'll do it later." Zuko said no more than that, eyes on the computer screen. His _guilty_ expression near prolonged. 

Aang's eyes fell to his lap before finding the nerve to draw back up to Zuko's face. The precarious question hanging on his lips.

"Are you dating her?" he asked quizzically. 

"No." Zuko replied, his eye contact with Aang more fleeting-as though to look at him any longer than a second would be a condemnation. "Not really."

Aang's fingers glided over the rim of his mug of lukewarm tea. Thumbs tapping on the handle before he exhaled and rose up out of his chair. Zuko's eyes not tearing away from the screen, until Aang appeared to head for the door.

"You're leaving?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah." Aang said donning his jacket avoiding Zuko's eyes. "My uncle Gyatso will be home soon and I promised to cook dinner."

"Alright, check you later." Zuko found himself watching Aang head out though the nagging urge to grab him by an arm to stay wouldn't calm.

"See you." Aang replied fast walking out of the house.

Zuko didn't know or couldn't decide whether he should go after Aang or forget whatever happened ever took place. Squirming in his chair, tongue-tied and at a precipice of conflicted longing. Reaching for his mobile, Zuko sent a text to Ty Lee.

**Zuko** : I don't think he's in love with me... **:-(**

After 20 seconds a ping came signaling a response.

**Ty Lee** : Text him Zuzu. He's totally into you! <3 <3

_Am I a dragon or a coward_? The question rained heavily down on Zuko who wrestled over following Ty Lee's advice. He tried wondering what the main influential people in his life would suggest to him. Putting himself in Uncle, Azula and more terrible his father's minds failed to ease the frustration. Breathing heavily with his eyes closed, Zuko was a stone's throw away from punching his fist at the nearest wall. Yet the anger that had once festered inside him had melted away, the day he and Aang's friendship had grown- now at the edge of a more deepened bond. Regaining a degree of his backbone, Zuko typed a new message and sent it in the same breath. His mind and body separate from his usual self as Zuko set his mobile down on the table, not sure what the reaction would be.

Aang was no more than four minutes away from Zuko's house until he received a text message from him. His fingers grew numb while he blinked at the screen just to make sure this wasn't a vain hope brought on by imagination. 

Zuko's eyes started to well with tears. Regret, humiliation, stupidity and fear were making his head ache slightly. Closing his laptop obstinate and downing the last sip of tea from his mug. He was all for throwing his face down into his pillow and wallow before the landline phone in his bedroom rang. The Caller ID flashing Aang's name. He darted out of his chair to answer the call.

Pressing the TALK button, Zuko cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "Aang?"


End file.
